Follow@ebonychic4life
Roseline Okoro
The 2012 edition of the annual Miss Ghana pageant is a few weeks away but the integrity of the otherwise enviable contest has been called into question, with some persons challenging the eligibility of one of the contestants, Roseline Okoro; a younger sister of award-winning Ghanaian actress Yvonne Okoro.
In what could be fairly described as a blackmail attempt on Roseline, some media houses have started putting out stories that the 22-year-old biochemistry graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is a “lesser Ghanaian” on the basis that she has a Ghanaian mother and a Nigerian father.
The critics have further started an anti-Roseline Okoro campaign on online news sites and social media, stating emphatically that the lady does not deserve to win and should not be made to win.
Already, there is an ongoing campaign suggesting that event organizers Exclusive Event would steal the verdict for Roseline because she is a sister of Yvonne Okoro.
Though NEWS-ONE would withhold the names of persons behind the attacks, the paper contacted the organizers of Miss Ghana, Exclusive Event and the company admitted it had noticed the attacks on the event.
“We are aware of it and in all sincerity it smacks of prejudice, considering the fact that the event is just a few weeks from now. How do they know Roseline would win or not win and we think if the writer or people behind this meant well, they would have waited for the judges to announce a winner then you start running your commentary.
“Miss Ghana is not about who you are related to. It is about who you are as a contestant and what you can prove to the judges on the day. After all, there is more than one contestant related to a known name or a celebrity. We think this is below the belt and should not have happened,” Obed Boafo, communications manager for Exclusive Events told NEWS-ONE.
It is surprising why any rational human being would question the eligibility of a beauty contestant in Ghana simply because she has a Ghanaian mother and a Nigerian father when Ghana has had a president who had a Ghanaian mother and a Scottish father.
Another example is the current American President Barrack Obama who has a Kenyan father and an American mother.
Another issue being raised against Roseline Okoro is the fact that her name would give her away as a non-Ghanaian if she won the contest.
Her critics seem to have forgotten about the several names of prominent Ghanaians whose names do not sound Ghanaian; Jerry John Rawlings, actor George Williams, actor Victor Lutterodt, Minister Mike Hammer and Bishop Dag Heward-Mills
No comments:
Post a Comment